In the year 2150, Earth is running low on resources, leading to an increased interest in space colonization and business ventures to mine asteroids and planets outside of Earth’s orbit. A series of corporate mergers have lead to the rise of the mega-corporation, AsterCorp, which has been developing a space elevator on the coast of Manta, Ecuador. Up until this point, only large corporations with high funding have been able to reach the stars. But this elevator promises a new and more efficient route into space, which has been encouraging other smaller businesses to sign-up for their chance to launch into space and seize a chunk of this new frontier before it is all claimed. However competition is incredibly fierce. The elevator is on schedule to finish construction within the year, and the waiting list for the service already has a massive waiting list. Companies have flocked to Manta to establish facilities in the city in order to prepare their company to spread into space, and to curry favor with AsterCorp. The increased development has expanded the size of the city. The newly expanded urban area has been designated the Manta Departure Zone.
Cultural Influences
Military (4 rising):
Even though the Manta Departure Zone does not have that strong a government the majority of the megacorporations vying for a early slot on the Manta Space Elevator’s departure queue arrived with armies of highly-trained and heavily armed “security personnel”. These troops provide protection for their corporations businesses and operations in the city, but can also be deployed to raid competitor's investments. However, such raids are rare as the businesses prefer subtler forms of sabotage and corporate warfare. After all, in a world where any decent businessman is expected to draw out the most efficiency and productivity from their employees, the slightest obstruction to their processes can have a serious impact on their position in Manta’s space race. Conflicts between the corporations have been increasing as the elevator project has drawn closer to completion and as new competitors have moved into the area. Researchers fear the escalating tensions among companies may pose a threat to all parties’ preparations for space colonization. The limited space in the city has further fueled the tensions between the corporations. Different corporate militaries frequently run into each other on patrols, leading to posturing over their perceived territory.
In addition to the conventional security forces, many corporations, many businesses also secretly employ teams of corporate espionage specialists. These specialists are trained in various fields from traditional infiltration to high-tech hacking. These forces are often sent to competitors to steal research and information or sabotage enemy’s business ventures. In addition, some teams act as counter-espionage units that protect their employers from having their own information or investments similarly compromised.
As the working class grows more desperate, those in the lowest social circles have started fighting against the corporate presence in the city. Corporations increasingly find themselves dealing with trouble from the homeless and unemployed along with the mechanications of fellow businesses. However, a few companies are starting to use this rising social discontent, aiding and subtly redirecting the displeased masses, so they target the company’s competitors. While the city’s government cares very little about what goes on within Manta nowadays, these private militaries have stepped in as a pseudo police force, putting down varying degrees of crimes with harsh, unrestricted force. Resistance groups, local gangs and other demographics who do not have a place within the workforce are considered hostile threats to corporate interests. However, they only operate within their boundaries which leads to wildly different levels of crime throughout the city.
Religion (2 rising):
The Manta Departure Zone does not traditionally have much religion, and what religion used to be practiced here have been stamped out by modernity and the securlized business world. However, in recent years there has been a rising trend in corporate worship among the working class, and the global desire for efficiency and productivity has slowly been evolving into a religion in its own right. This corporate worship is encouraged by the management of most companies in the area as a ploy to increase employee loyalty. In addition to the corporate worship, religion has begun to rise in surrounding countries as resources deplete. Many inhabitants of the Earth believe that this lack of resources entails the incoming judgement day and have recently converted to various religions in hope of a savior, however these more traditional religions have not found much traction in the Manta Departure Zone.
Technology (5):
Technology is a dominant driving force in the Manta Departure Zone, and its role does not stop at AsterCorp’s space elevator, shuttles, and terraforming equipment that promise corporations around the world the chance to colonize the cosmos. Many companies offer various forms of equipment and tools that companies throughout the Departure Zone can use to make their activities more efficient and profitable. Those competing in the global space race will take all the advantages they can get whether it is faster transportation systems, factory spaces with more efficient machinery and a more ergonomic design, or body mods and food rations designed to improve the abilities of workers. Body mods in particular are constantly reshaping what it means to be human, and what it means to be capable in Manta’s business world. In addition, advances in medical diagnostic equipment and measuring tools allows employers to quantify human capabilities such as upper body strength, fine motor control, and endurance to a level of precision not imagined before the current space race. As a result, employers are able to formulate statistical thresholds for how capable they expected potential employees to be in various capacities. The goal of this technology lies solely on efficiency, to use the most of the resources that are left. In preparation for the interplanetary move, various resources have been gathered for transfer, and those on earth must be efficient in what they use for their survival. This includes efficient food usage with the highest nutrients, although it may be the lowest taste.
Arts & Culture (1):
The business of the Manta Departure Zone employ brutalist minimalist design philosophy. Everything created in the area are designed under the philosophy that form follows function. All goods offered in society are weighed on what advantages they provide the corporation or individual, or how they improve their efficiency. Any aesthetic and cultural values that do not follow this standard are viewed as arbitrary, irrelevant, and counterproductive.
That said, the Manta Departure Zone does provide some forms of entertainment to the public, mostly in the belief that happy workers are more efficient. That said, the entertainment that is offered is created by algorithmic processes and is meant to appeal to viewers mentally on the basis of their nature as rational beings. Many of these entertainment forms miss on how living beings find enjoyment of the work, but the developers who created the system claim the system is perfect and no one disagrees. If someone fails to find enjoyment in these works, the lack of enjoyment is thought to be a result of the individual’s failure to appreciate the work rationally, rather than a failure of the work itself. As a result, most individuals do not admit to disliking any of the entertainment offerings out of fear of being judged poorly.
Social Relations
Race (4):
With the space elevator opening in less than a year, multinational corporations and people looking for work are swarming the Manta Departure Zone. As a result, the population of Manta holds people of varying ethnicities and races. However, racial tensions that are usually experienced in a diverse environment are remarkably low in Manta. Part of the lack of racial tensions comes from the practice of valuing human beings in terms of their productivity and capabilities without regarding any other trivial factors. Additionally, due to an unprecedented number of corporations moving into the area, the Manta Departure Zone is in a constant hiring mode. With jobs being so plentiful, and workers in such high demand, there is little conflict between groups over who is getting hired for positions, since people of all races have a fair shot. This mentality has been supported by the corporations through many diversity training initiatives to erase tensions that could negatively impact productivity.
The question of what it means to be human vs machine has become increasingly important due to the existence of robots with artificial intelligence. Many robot manufacturers swarmed to the Manta Departure Zone to build intelligent machines to replace humans on the job site, or even automated security robots for corporate headquarters. The manufacturers attempt to sell these to AsterCorp, amid fierce competition. But some of these companies fail to win contracts and go out of business, and their factories are abandoned to rot. While there are efforts to scrap the leftover robots, the intelligent models find ways to escape, or fight back, making the problem expensive to deal with. When the old, decommissioned robots end up wandering the city looking for a purpose, the lines between human and synthetic life become blurred.
Class (3):
Mega-corporation CEOs and upper management have a much better lifestyle, with access to privileges and resources better than the general public. Even so, not many members of upper management have moved into the Manta Departure Zone. This is because the departure zone is more like a large industrial site, rather than an actual city. The ultra-rich who do live in the Manta Departure Zone are rarely seen as they remain inside skyscrapers, travelling by air to meet with other CEOs where they forge corporate alliances, or make veiled threats to harm each other’s chances of being business partners with AsterCorp.
Most of the population of Manta is made up by the middle class. While most of this class is made up of workers, it does also include people in middle-management positions, at companies that are set up with many levels of bureaucracy. Among the working class, most employees make about the same amount of money, and the act of distinguishing members of society based on their relative incomes is not common, though the differences will be apparent to those who look closely enough.
There is a small percentage of the population that does fall beneath the poverty line. These people work in most hard labor jobs that could also be assigned to robots and machines. The future of the jobs available to the lower class is consistently in question. Over the years there have been many attempts to entirely replace the humans working these jobs with robots. However, robots require many resources to build and train, and this can become costly due to corporate warfare, specifically price hikes on precious metals. Since the expected pay for a low class worker is so low, a strange situation has arisen in which humans and robots could be working side by side.
Most people in this class cannot afford the rigorous body modifications that seem to have become the norm for those seeking decent employment. They continue to be behind the trends and levels of efficiency that new mods provide. Also, people can end up in this class due to receiving botched modifications that have end up being prone to glitches and malfunctions, which makes them a significantly less likely to be hired.
Gender (3 rising):
With the rising influence of technology, gender has become a lower concern for the citizens than in previous years. The stigma of less superior genders has been replaced with a bigger issue of robot vs. human. With so many people getting body mods, the line between human and robot has blurred, nearly erasing the gender lines. Various members of society have enough mods that gender is a practically indistinguishable concept, and this distinction falls apart further and further as the body mods continue to advance. The only remaining gender stigmas come from those too poor for body mods or that choose to opt out of them (of course the lack of body mods is often considered an issue in itself). Though, the stigma is still not strong, just a fairly moderate gender disparity.
Sexual Orientation (3): With society’s extreme focus on efficiency and ableism, sexual orientation is not considered that large of an issue. As long as it does not impact an employee’s productivity and ability to do his or her job, what an employee does in private is not the concern of the business. As to the judgment of others, an individual in society is expected to concern themselves with ensuring that they remain as productive and useful as possible without worrying about others. This mentality has been put in place by the dominating presence of corporate influence. Even when people are off work, their occupation seems to be the only thing they can think about.
That said there are still some members of society that pass judgement on the sexual activities of others. Though this is usually based on them seeing it as a matter of utility. These judgements reflect newly distinct philosophies. For example, one argument is that sex beyond that necessary for reproduction is a waste of energy. Some believe that sex should be performed solely to produce offspring, which will keep society going through the continued existence of a workforce. However on the other side of the argument, another group might say that sexual acts that produce children should be avoided, as any increase in population will further tax the world’s resources.
Governance
Government presence (1)
The Manta Departure Zone does not have strong central government, and most of the functions handled by the government have been co opted by the many business interests throughout the Manta Departure Zone. Corporate enterprises run Manta through their deep pockets. Manta has become almost solely big businesses, and most of the local population has been practically enlisted into the arriving companies’ workforces. All the power in the city goes to those with the largest amounts of money to spend. Any part of the government that is left has been strongly influenced by bribery. At this point, any remaining political figures of the town merely stand as figureheads, puppeteered by any AsterCorp investors. Even if the government as a whole decided to turn against the corporations who took over the area, they would not have the resources or influence to accomplish anything. Most of the people who were living in the area before AsterCorp arrived have almost completely forgotten that an established government exists, due to the small impact that it has made on its community. Even elections in the Manta region have been completely taken over by the highest bidder. Any candidate that has attempted to reform the area or remove AsterCorp’s influence has been defeated by other candidates or paid off. The opinion of the citizens’ is completely insignificant when the elections have become an absolute farce.
The local government has experienced such a lack of funds compared to previous years. With so many locals leaving the area due to their businesses and land being bought up, taxes have made much less revenue for Manta. Those that remain in Manta also compose a large amount of the ever growing lower class. These poverty stricken individuals have no funds to pay for taxes. Without the money to even provide social services on its own, the Manta government relies heavily on the money of investors. This has then taken the issue of social services almost completely out of their hands, as they rely on additional revenue streams.
Rule of Law (2)
As a result of the lack of clear legislative bodies and law enforcement entities, mega corporations are often left to their own devices in determining and enforcing their laws. As a result, there is nothing preventing companies from stealing, vandalizing, or otherwise interfering with each other. Without a conventional form of arbitration, the actions of companies are handled by an often unreliable system of business alliances and reputation. Ideally, a business that over steps “appropriate boundaries” would face the retaliation of their victims allies, and lose the support of other companies, but this response varies by circumstance and how much each group knows about their actions. With the widened wealth gap, crime has increased since some of the lower class is fighting for survival. Without a strong government presence or enforced law, Manta has become a “dog eat dog” society. Those with money know which streets to avoid and what parts of town hold too many ruffians.
With this being said, many groups have banded together against the crime in Manta, for better or for worse. Larger corporations have been buying up the surrounding land in order to make room for expansion. The displaced residents are often assimilated into the workforce if they are deemed capable enough to meet a corporation's productivity standards, or the company considers them useful enough to be modded to working condition. That said the residents who are considered not capable enough are left to fare for themselves in the streets. The displaced residents find company with former employees who were laid off by one of the major corporations. Without the poorer part of town harassing the upper class, Manta would be a flourishing town of corporations. However, those at the poverty line have also banded together for survival, forming various gangs to steal and harass those that are stealing away their city. The small number of working class has taken a less confrontational approach to this overtaking by holding protests and strikes against the corporate mongols.
With the lack of a true governmental presence, the voices often fall on deaf ears. Any protests or strikes rarely cause an effect on the town or any of the monumental corporations thriving in Manta. With the local elections being run primarily on bribery, no reform or change has been brought around to appease local residents. This has led to a lack of programs to assist the lower class and to supply the working class with other jobs after the completion of the elevator. The only way corporations tend to pay attention to the locals of Manta is through violence, leading to fairly extreme measures from the poorest and more desperate in the community.
Social Services (4)
Social Services in Manta are mostly handled by the private sector. This includes private universities, insurance companies, and other corporate entities. Over time, corporations have been slowly erasing the need for a government that provides social services. Massive construction and technology firms have built up a public transportation network that far surpasses anything the local government could provide. This was done in the name of efficiency and winning favor from AsterCorp, which benefits the most from workers being able to get to the space elevator quickly. Without any overarching government to provide a free system for social services, most citizens of Manta receive social services through benefit packages offered by their employers. However, some non-profit groups offer some basic support. Some businesses also offer educational programs and offerings for non-employees for the sake of training and recruiting new employees for their workforce. The education system is strongly biased towards the skills that corporations are looking for in the workplace, as the corporations are not motivated to help the lower classes develop skills that the company doesn’t need. These corporate-run education initiatives are also designed to spread pro-business propaganda and encourage corporate worship among the lower classes.
When AsterCorp first pitched the idea to Manta, the citizens were promised the rights to the land would increase the town’s economic strength and provide better roads, schooling, and public works. These promises have yet to equate to much, only allowing the continual maintenance of social services that occurred previously. With so many resources being used by the MDZ in the area, social services have become more pricey for continual upkeep. Without the income from the AsterCorp project and corporate investors, the social services would have significantly dwindled due to the lower economic strength of Manta.
Economics
Economic Strength (3 Decreasing)
The economy of Manta is decent, but not excessive. Manta has established many businesses that are turning a profit in the area. The economy is starting to slow down as resources run low and businesses are saving up money and resources for colonization. However, the economy is expected to rebound once several companies have established mines and bases outside of Earth’s orbit. With so many major corporations coming in, the economy should start to increase. However, the money that is being invested has been going to another planet instead of Manta itself. With the increase of big business and the progress of AsterCorp’s elevator, most of the native population has been replaced, leaving the economy relatively unstable. There is also the rising concern of what will happen to the area following the completion of the space elevator. While the massive growth of industry, economics and infrastructure was done for the benefit of building such a megastructure, there is rising concerns of what will happen to the thousands of workers and buildings whose only purpose was to aid the construction effort. While the MDZ will no doubt be a hotbed for trade and industry for years to come, there cannot be any doubt that a massive shift in resources and manpower will occur incredibly soon.
While so many of the resources are being invested in another planet, any revenue from the city is barely scraping by. A decent amount of local businesses and farms have been sold for land to expand the MDZ. With so many locals leaving, taxes have also decreased, providing a smaller town revenue than in previous years. Even with so many locals employed at AsterCorp, the lower class cannot even afford to pay taxes. Any income coming into the town will most likely come from future tourism and transportation fees. However, while the elevator is still being constructed, most income is being funneled towards construction and advertising. The elevator has taken away so many resources, time, and money that the town has started to drain its funds. The only revenue comes from advertising and investors in the AsterCorp project, that gives back very little to Manta.
Wealth Distribution (2)
Wealth distribution is fairly low for each of the classes, the upper class holds almost all the wealth as corporations. The lowest class has little to nothing, just reaching the poverty line. Since robots are capable of replacing almost all manual labor, humans can be paid little to nothing for their services. All of the lower class can be replaced and they have almost no way to get out of their situation. Body modifications are often necessary to obtain even the most basic of jobs in Manta. Those without mods simply are not “capable” or “productive” for Manta’s fast-paced work environment. Employees are expected to upgrade their mods frequently to avoid “falling behind”. These modifications help to accelerate the efficiency of the human body for most necessary work. The working class has been mostly wiped out, due to the lack of mundane jobs. With most of the city working on the elevator and move to space, most mom and pop shops have been bought up or driven out as more and more space was needed for construction. The only stores left in the area are company stores that offer a sparse selection of essential goods to loyal employees. These classes have an overwhelming disparity in the city that has led to an increase in crime, so the lower class can steal to survive.
The upper class not only holds monetary wealth, but their assets have increased through the hefty uptake of property. The lack of social mobility has caused many citizens of Manta to immigrate to other neighboring towns. The only stable occupations with any promise are working on the AsterCorp’s elevator, that has almost reached completion. Once the elevator has finished construction, jobs with decrease to just the bare minimum needed for routine maintenance and operation. However, for now, the working class remains employed at the Manta Departure Zone and other small businesses surrounding the area. These businesses are also primarily fueled by the upper class visiting and working to invest in the elevator. After completion, the working class may move to more tourism and hospitality fields.
Agriculture and Trade (5)
Although the Earth is running low on resources, the wider area of the solar system has plentiful resources to spare. While the elevator is not yet finished, AsterCorp asteroid mining projects are already starting to bring back valuable building materials for Earth’s economy. Precious metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, as well as freshwater have been brought back from mined asteroids. These metals have now been incorporated into the construction of other planetary endeavors.
There have not been any significant terraforming attempts on Mars or any of the asteroids yet. As such, agriculture is still confined to Earth. However, the region has several biological and chemical labs for developing the biological material used nutrafood and medicine. These are then mass produced in large hydroponics bays, built to float in the shallow coastal water to conserve space. Mainly manned by automated machinery, these bays are nearly entirely self-sufficient and are used to test their capabilities in unconventional environments. Other planets are also being looked at for possible expansion, especially with the prospect of food. Agriculture tends to take up too much space for the ever-growing population and planetary expansion holds the most promising solution.
As the Manta Departure Zone has been inundated by a multitude of corporate entries, which provide services to populations across the globe, the city has become a hotbed for international trade. There is a constant flow of goods in and out of the city at all time of day. There is an especially high market value for rare or unknown interstellar goods. Many corporate research and development teams have claimed samples hoping to find new metals and minerals that can be used to improve industrial processes.
Table of Contents
In the year 2150, Earth is running low on resources, leading to an increased interest in space colonization and business ventures to mine asteroids and planets outside of Earth’s orbit. A series of corporate mergers have lead to the rise of the mega-corporation, AsterCorp, which has been developing a space elevator on the coast of Manta, Ecuador. Up until this point, only large corporations with high funding have been able to reach the stars. But this elevator promises a new and more efficient route into space, which has been encouraging other smaller businesses to sign-up for their chance to launch into space and seize a chunk of this new frontier before it is all claimed. However competition is incredibly fierce. The elevator is on schedule to finish construction within the year, and the waiting list for the service already has a massive waiting list. Companies have flocked to Manta to establish facilities in the city in order to prepare their company to spread into space, and to curry favor with AsterCorp. The increased development has expanded the size of the city. The newly expanded urban area has been designated the Manta Departure Zone.
Cultural Influences
Military (4 rising):
Even though the Manta Departure Zone does not have that strong a government the majority of the megacorporations vying for a early slot on the Manta Space Elevator’s departure queue arrived with armies of highly-trained and heavily armed “security personnel”. These troops provide protection for their corporations businesses and operations in the city, but can also be deployed to raid competitor's investments. However, such raids are rare as the businesses prefer subtler forms of sabotage and corporate warfare. After all, in a world where any decent businessman is expected to draw out the most efficiency and productivity from their employees, the slightest obstruction to their processes can have a serious impact on their position in Manta’s space race. Conflicts between the corporations have been increasing as the elevator project has drawn closer to completion and as new competitors have moved into the area. Researchers fear the escalating tensions among companies may pose a threat to all parties’ preparations for space colonization. The limited space in the city has further fueled the tensions between the corporations. Different corporate militaries frequently run into each other on patrols, leading to posturing over their perceived territory.In addition to the conventional security forces, many corporations, many businesses also secretly employ teams of corporate espionage specialists. These specialists are trained in various fields from traditional infiltration to high-tech hacking. These forces are often sent to competitors to steal research and information or sabotage enemy’s business ventures. In addition, some teams act as counter-espionage units that protect their employers from having their own information or investments similarly compromised.
As the working class grows more desperate, those in the lowest social circles have started fighting against the corporate presence in the city. Corporations increasingly find themselves dealing with trouble from the homeless and unemployed along with the mechanications of fellow businesses. However, a few companies are starting to use this rising social discontent, aiding and subtly redirecting the displeased masses, so they target the company’s competitors.
While the city’s government cares very little about what goes on within Manta nowadays, these private militaries have stepped in as a pseudo police force, putting down varying degrees of crimes with harsh, unrestricted force. Resistance groups, local gangs and other demographics who do not have a place within the workforce are considered hostile threats to corporate interests. However, they only operate within their boundaries which leads to wildly different levels of crime throughout the city.
Religion (2 rising):
The Manta Departure Zone does not traditionally have much religion, and what religion used to be practiced here have been stamped out by modernity and the securlized business world. However, in recent years there has been a rising trend in corporate worship among the working class, and the global desire for efficiency and productivity has slowly been evolving into a religion in its own right. This corporate worship is encouraged by the management of most companies in the area as a ploy to increase employee loyalty. In addition to the corporate worship, religion has begun to rise in surrounding countries as resources deplete. Many inhabitants of the Earth believe that this lack of resources entails the incoming judgement day and have recently converted to various religions in hope of a savior, however these more traditional religions have not found much traction in the Manta Departure Zone.Technology (5):
Technology is a dominant driving force in the Manta Departure Zone, and its role does not stop at AsterCorp’s space elevator, shuttles, and terraforming equipment that promise corporations around the world the chance to colonize the cosmos. Many companies offer various forms of equipment and tools that companies throughout the Departure Zone can use to make their activities more efficient and profitable. Those competing in the global space race will take all the advantages they can get whether it is faster transportation systems, factory spaces with more efficient machinery and a more ergonomic design, or body mods and food rations designed to improve the abilities of workers. Body mods in particular are constantly reshaping what it means to be human, and what it means to be capable in Manta’s business world. In addition, advances in medical diagnostic equipment and measuring tools allows employers to quantify human capabilities such as upper body strength, fine motor control, and endurance to a level of precision not imagined before the current space race. As a result, employers are able to formulate statistical thresholds for how capable they expected potential employees to be in various capacities. The goal of this technology lies solely on efficiency, to use the most of the resources that are left. In preparation for the interplanetary move, various resources have been gathered for transfer, and those on earth must be efficient in what they use for their survival. This includes efficient food usage with the highest nutrients, although it may be the lowest taste.Arts & Culture (1):
The business of the Manta Departure Zone employ brutalist minimalist design philosophy. Everything created in the area are designed under the philosophy that form follows function. All goods offered in society are weighed on what advantages they provide the corporation or individual, or how they improve their efficiency. Any aesthetic and cultural values that do not follow this standard are viewed as arbitrary, irrelevant, and counterproductive.That said, the Manta Departure Zone does provide some forms of entertainment to the public, mostly in the belief that happy workers are more efficient. That said, the entertainment that is offered is created by algorithmic processes and is meant to appeal to viewers mentally on the basis of their nature as rational beings. Many of these entertainment forms miss on how living beings find enjoyment of the work, but the developers who created the system claim the system is perfect and no one disagrees. If someone fails to find enjoyment in these works, the lack of enjoyment is thought to be a result of the individual’s failure to appreciate the work rationally, rather than a failure of the work itself. As a result, most individuals do not admit to disliking any of the entertainment offerings out of fear of being judged poorly.
Social Relations
Race (4):
With the space elevator opening in less than a year, multinational corporations and people looking for work are swarming the Manta Departure Zone. As a result, the population of Manta holds people of varying ethnicities and races. However, racial tensions that are usually experienced in a diverse environment are remarkably low in Manta. Part of the lack of racial tensions comes from the practice of valuing human beings in terms of their productivity and capabilities without regarding any other trivial factors. Additionally, due to an unprecedented number of corporations moving into the area, the Manta Departure Zone is in a constant hiring mode. With jobs being so plentiful, and workers in such high demand, there is little conflict between groups over who is getting hired for positions, since people of all races have a fair shot. This mentality has been supported by the corporations through many diversity training initiatives to erase tensions that could negatively impact productivity.The question of what it means to be human vs machine has become increasingly important due to the existence of robots with artificial intelligence. Many robot manufacturers swarmed to the Manta Departure Zone to build intelligent machines to replace humans on the job site, or even automated security robots for corporate headquarters. The manufacturers attempt to sell these to AsterCorp, amid fierce competition. But some of these companies fail to win contracts and go out of business, and their factories are abandoned to rot. While there are efforts to scrap the leftover robots, the intelligent models find ways to escape, or fight back, making the problem expensive to deal with. When the old, decommissioned robots end up wandering the city looking for a purpose, the lines between human and synthetic life become blurred.
Class (3):
Mega-corporation CEOs and upper management have a much better lifestyle, with access to privileges and resources better than the general public. Even so, not many members of upper management have moved into the Manta Departure Zone. This is because the departure zone is more like a large industrial site, rather than an actual city. The ultra-rich who do live in the Manta Departure Zone are rarely seen as they remain inside skyscrapers, travelling by air to meet with other CEOs where they forge corporate alliances, or make veiled threats to harm each other’s chances of being business partners with AsterCorp.Most of the population of Manta is made up by the middle class. While most of this class is made up of workers, it does also include people in middle-management positions, at companies that are set up with many levels of bureaucracy. Among the working class, most employees make about the same amount of money, and the act of distinguishing members of society based on their relative incomes is not common, though the differences will be apparent to those who look closely enough.
There is a small percentage of the population that does fall beneath the poverty line. These people work in most hard labor jobs that could also be assigned to robots and machines. The future of the jobs available to the lower class is consistently in question. Over the years there have been many attempts to entirely replace the humans working these jobs with robots. However, robots require many resources to build and train, and this can become costly due to corporate warfare, specifically price hikes on precious metals. Since the expected pay for a low class worker is so low, a strange situation has arisen in which humans and robots could be working side by side.
Most people in this class cannot afford the rigorous body modifications that seem to have become the norm for those seeking decent employment. They continue to be behind the trends and levels of efficiency that new mods provide. Also, people can end up in this class due to receiving botched modifications that have end up being prone to glitches and malfunctions, which makes them a significantly less likely to be hired.
Gender (3 rising):
With the rising influence of technology, gender has become a lower concern for the citizens than in previous years. The stigma of less superior genders has been replaced with a bigger issue of robot vs. human. With so many people getting body mods, the line between human and robot has blurred, nearly erasing the gender lines. Various members of society have enough mods that gender is a practically indistinguishable concept, and this distinction falls apart further and further as the body mods continue to advance. The only remaining gender stigmas come from those too poor for body mods or that choose to opt out of them (of course the lack of body mods is often considered an issue in itself). Though, the stigma is still not strong, just a fairly moderate gender disparity.Sexual Orientation (3):
With society’s extreme focus on efficiency and ableism, sexual orientation is not considered that large of an issue. As long as it does not impact an employee’s productivity and ability to do his or her job, what an employee does in private is not the concern of the business. As to the judgment of others, an individual in society is expected to concern themselves with ensuring that they remain as productive and useful as possible without worrying about others. This mentality has been put in place by the dominating presence of corporate influence. Even when people are off work, their occupation seems to be the only thing they can think about.
That said there are still some members of society that pass judgement on the sexual activities of others. Though this is usually based on them seeing it as a matter of utility. These judgements reflect newly distinct philosophies. For example, one argument is that sex beyond that necessary for reproduction is a waste of energy. Some believe that sex should be performed solely to produce offspring, which will keep society going through the continued existence of a workforce. However on the other side of the argument, another group might say that sexual acts that produce children should be avoided, as any increase in population will further tax the world’s resources.
Governance
Government presence (1)
The Manta Departure Zone does not have strong central government, and most of the functions handled by the government have been co opted by the many business interests throughout the Manta Departure Zone. Corporate enterprises run Manta through their deep pockets. Manta has become almost solely big businesses, and most of the local population has been practically enlisted into the arriving companies’ workforces. All the power in the city goes to those with the largest amounts of money to spend. Any part of the government that is left has been strongly influenced by bribery. At this point, any remaining political figures of the town merely stand as figureheads, puppeteered by any AsterCorp investors. Even if the government as a whole decided to turn against the corporations who took over the area, they would not have the resources or influence to accomplish anything. Most of the people who were living in the area before AsterCorp arrived have almost completely forgotten that an established government exists, due to the small impact that it has made on its community. Even elections in the Manta region have been completely taken over by the highest bidder. Any candidate that has attempted to reform the area or remove AsterCorp’s influence has been defeated by other candidates or paid off. The opinion of the citizens’ is completely insignificant when the elections have become an absolute farce.The local government has experienced such a lack of funds compared to previous years. With so many locals leaving the area due to their businesses and land being bought up, taxes have made much less revenue for Manta. Those that remain in Manta also compose a large amount of the ever growing lower class. These poverty stricken individuals have no funds to pay for taxes. Without the money to even provide social services on its own, the Manta government relies heavily on the money of investors. This has then taken the issue of social services almost completely out of their hands, as they rely on additional revenue streams.
Rule of Law (2)
As a result of the lack of clear legislative bodies and law enforcement entities, mega corporations are often left to their own devices in determining and enforcing their laws. As a result, there is nothing preventing companies from stealing, vandalizing, or otherwise interfering with each other. Without a conventional form of arbitration, the actions of companies are handled by an often unreliable system of business alliances and reputation. Ideally, a business that over steps “appropriate boundaries” would face the retaliation of their victims allies, and lose the support of other companies, but this response varies by circumstance and how much each group knows about their actions. With the widened wealth gap, crime has increased since some of the lower class is fighting for survival. Without a strong government presence or enforced law, Manta has become a “dog eat dog” society. Those with money know which streets to avoid and what parts of town hold too many ruffians.With this being said, many groups have banded together against the crime in Manta, for better or for worse. Larger corporations have been buying up the surrounding land in order to make room for expansion. The displaced residents are often assimilated into the workforce if they are deemed capable enough to meet a corporation's productivity standards, or the company considers them useful enough to be modded to working condition. That said the residents who are considered not capable enough are left to fare for themselves in the streets. The displaced residents find company with former employees who were laid off by one of the major corporations. Without the poorer part of town harassing the upper class, Manta would be a flourishing town of corporations. However, those at the poverty line have also banded together for survival, forming various gangs to steal and harass those that are stealing away their city. The small number of working class has taken a less confrontational approach to this overtaking by holding protests and strikes against the corporate mongols.
With the lack of a true governmental presence, the voices often fall on deaf ears. Any protests or strikes rarely cause an effect on the town or any of the monumental corporations thriving in Manta. With the local elections being run primarily on bribery, no reform or change has been brought around to appease local residents. This has led to a lack of programs to assist the lower class and to supply the working class with other jobs after the completion of the elevator. The only way corporations tend to pay attention to the locals of Manta is through violence, leading to fairly extreme measures from the poorest and more desperate in the community.
Social Services (4)
Social Services in Manta are mostly handled by the private sector. This includes private universities, insurance companies, and other corporate entities. Over time, corporations have been slowly erasing the need for a government that provides social services. Massive construction and technology firms have built up a public transportation network that far surpasses anything the local government could provide. This was done in the name of efficiency and winning favor from AsterCorp, which benefits the most from workers being able to get to the space elevator quickly. Without any overarching government to provide a free system for social services, most citizens of Manta receive social services through benefit packages offered by their employers. However, some non-profit groups offer some basic support. Some businesses also offer educational programs and offerings for non-employees for the sake of training and recruiting new employees for their workforce. The education system is strongly biased towards the skills that corporations are looking for in the workplace, as the corporations are not motivated to help the lower classes develop skills that the company doesn’t need. These corporate-run education initiatives are also designed to spread pro-business propaganda and encourage corporate worship among the lower classes.When AsterCorp first pitched the idea to Manta, the citizens were promised the rights to the land would increase the town’s economic strength and provide better roads, schooling, and public works. These promises have yet to equate to much, only allowing the continual maintenance of social services that occurred previously. With so many resources being used by the MDZ in the area, social services have become more pricey for continual upkeep. Without the income from the AsterCorp project and corporate investors, the social services would have significantly dwindled due to the lower economic strength of Manta.
Economics
Economic Strength (3 Decreasing)
The economy of Manta is decent, but not excessive. Manta has established many businesses that are turning a profit in the area. The economy is starting to slow down as resources run low and businesses are saving up money and resources for colonization. However, the economy is expected to rebound once several companies have established mines and bases outside of Earth’s orbit. With so many major corporations coming in, the economy should start to increase. However, the money that is being invested has been going to another planet instead of Manta itself. With the increase of big business and the progress of AsterCorp’s elevator, most of the native population has been replaced, leaving the economy relatively unstable. There is also the rising concern of what will happen to the area following the completion of the space elevator. While the massive growth of industry, economics and infrastructure was done for the benefit of building such a megastructure, there is rising concerns of what will happen to the thousands of workers and buildings whose only purpose was to aid the construction effort. While the MDZ will no doubt be a hotbed for trade and industry for years to come, there cannot be any doubt that a massive shift in resources and manpower will occur incredibly soon.While so many of the resources are being invested in another planet, any revenue from the city is barely scraping by. A decent amount of local businesses and farms have been sold for land to expand the MDZ. With so many locals leaving, taxes have also decreased, providing a smaller town revenue than in previous years. Even with so many locals employed at AsterCorp, the lower class cannot even afford to pay taxes. Any income coming into the town will most likely come from future tourism and transportation fees. However, while the elevator is still being constructed, most income is being funneled towards construction and advertising. The elevator has taken away so many resources, time, and money that the town has started to drain its funds. The only revenue comes from advertising and investors in the AsterCorp project, that gives back very little to Manta.
Wealth Distribution (2)
Wealth distribution is fairly low for each of the classes, the upper class holds almost all the wealth as corporations. The lowest class has little to nothing, just reaching the poverty line. Since robots are capable of replacing almost all manual labor, humans can be paid little to nothing for their services. All of the lower class can be replaced and they have almost no way to get out of their situation. Body modifications are often necessary to obtain even the most basic of jobs in Manta. Those without mods simply are not “capable” or “productive” for Manta’s fast-paced work environment. Employees are expected to upgrade their mods frequently to avoid “falling behind”. These modifications help to accelerate the efficiency of the human body for most necessary work. The working class has been mostly wiped out, due to the lack of mundane jobs. With most of the city working on the elevator and move to space, most mom and pop shops have been bought up or driven out as more and more space was needed for construction. The only stores left in the area are company stores that offer a sparse selection of essential goods to loyal employees. These classes have an overwhelming disparity in the city that has led to an increase in crime, so the lower class can steal to survive.The upper class not only holds monetary wealth, but their assets have increased through the hefty uptake of property. The lack of social mobility has caused many citizens of Manta to immigrate to other neighboring towns. The only stable occupations with any promise are working on the AsterCorp’s elevator, that has almost reached completion. Once the elevator has finished construction, jobs with decrease to just the bare minimum needed for routine maintenance and operation. However, for now, the working class remains employed at the Manta Departure Zone and other small businesses surrounding the area. These businesses are also primarily fueled by the upper class visiting and working to invest in the elevator. After completion, the working class may move to more tourism and hospitality fields.
Agriculture and Trade (5)
Although the Earth is running low on resources, the wider area of the solar system has plentiful resources to spare. While the elevator is not yet finished, AsterCorp asteroid mining projects are already starting to bring back valuable building materials for Earth’s economy. Precious metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, as well as freshwater have been brought back from mined asteroids. These metals have now been incorporated into the construction of other planetary endeavors.There have not been any significant terraforming attempts on Mars or any of the asteroids yet. As such, agriculture is still confined to Earth. However, the region has several biological and chemical labs for developing the biological material used nutrafood and medicine. These are then mass produced in large hydroponics bays, built to float in the shallow coastal water to conserve space. Mainly manned by automated machinery, these bays are nearly entirely self-sufficient and are used to test their capabilities in unconventional environments. Other planets are also being looked at for possible expansion, especially with the prospect of food. Agriculture tends to take up too much space for the ever-growing population and planetary expansion holds the most promising solution.
As the Manta Departure Zone has been inundated by a multitude of corporate entries, which provide services to populations across the globe, the city has become a hotbed for international trade. There is a constant flow of goods in and out of the city at all time of day. There is an especially high market value for rare or unknown interstellar goods. Many corporate research and development teams have claimed samples hoping to find new metals and minerals that can be used to improve industrial processes.
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